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Have you received a City of Portland notice in the mail?

Perhaps you received a notice in the mail that looks like this, and you’re not sure exactly what it means.

Or maybe you heard about proposed rules that would change the zoning for apartment buildings and other higher density residential buildings.

Or both.

You are not alone! Some 33,629 property owners received the mailing pictured at right from the City of Portland. This is required by state law whenever a change in the zoning could affect the value of a property — up or down. Your address was pulled from the County Assessor’s Office.

First things first

First thing to know is that these changes are proposals — not the law. We hope you’ll learn more about them and tell the Planning and Sustainability Commission (PSC) what you think. Any new rules must be adopted by City Council before they become effective. And before adoption, they are refined and changed based on public testimony, as well as PSC and City Council amendments.

Second, these proposals do not require you to sell your land or do anything to your property.

We’re here to help

We want to help you understand the proposal and how it may affect you and your property. You can:

Call the Helpline at 503-823-0195. Friendly staff will look up your address and tell you how the proposal would affect your property.

Look up your address on the Map App to find out what rules apply now and what could be proposed.

Comprehensive Plan designations, such as "Multi-Dwelling – Neighborhood," represent the long-term intended use for properties.

Zoning designations, such as "RM1," include specific rules for the type of development and the size of features of buildings that are allowed on a property. The multi-dwelling zones are intended for a wide variety of residential development, including multi-family buildings.